Court Rules That Dairies Can't Label Milk "Hormone-Free"

[almaty 19]

4.2.2009 9:32 AM

Court Rules That Dairies Can't Label Milk "Hormone-Free"

Agrichemical businesses win in court, but consumers can still find hormone-free milk by looking for the USDA Organic label.

By Dan Shapley

Buzz up!

A federal court in Ohio has ruled that dairies cannot legally label their milk "hormone free" "rBST-free" or otherwise clearly tell consumers that they aren't pumping up their cows with synthetic hormones.

It's a blow to truth-in-labeling advocates, a blow to consumers and a blow to organic farmers. It's a win for Monsanto, the agrichemical giant that prompted the lawsuit, and a win for Eli Lilly, which bought Monsanto's synthetic recombinant bovine growth hormones (known as rBST or rBGH) business a couple months ago. The use of these hormones is banned throughout most other first world nations. The labeling issue is moot in the 27-nation European Union, along with Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, since they don't allow the use of synthetic hormones in the first place.

Ohio was one of at least five states -- Pennsylvania, Missouri, Indiana and Kansas were others -- where Monsanto launched quiet attacks on milk labeling through state agricultural departments. The Organic Trade Association led a heroic effort to ward off the attack on truth in labeling, but in Ohio, a federal court ruled March 30 that the agriculture department's hastily enacted "emergency rule" should stand.

When consumers go to the supermarket, many want information to help them choose those products that are most healthy, raised with high ethical standards and produced without damaging the environment. For many, that means choosing hormone-free milk.

Many see the hormone-free label as a proxy for a wider set of issues. Is it right or necessary to speed up the development and boost the milk output of our dairy cows? Doesn't use of hormones go hand-in-hand with use of antibiotics to treat cows sickened by the exertion of round-the-calender milk production? Might there be some health problems associated with synthetic hormones that we just haven't identified yet?

The Organic Trade Association points out -- rightly -- that consumers can still choose milk raised without synthetic hormones. Just look for the USDA Organic seal. In order to qualify for the organic label, organic farmers are prohibited from using synthetic growth hormones, genetically engineered organisms (GMOS), antibiotics and toxic, persistent, synthetic pesticides.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I look for the USDA symbol already - usually means avoiding the in-store brand.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Dammit!!! Monsanto f###ers!!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Dammit!!! Monsanto f###ers!!

There's actually a Monsanto stooge in Obama's cabinet - as agriculture secretary.

[DairyFarmer 1]

Dammit!!! Monsanto f###ers!!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Dammit!!! Monsanto f###ers!!

There's actually a Monsanto stooge in Obama's cabinet - as agriculture secretary.

What the hell was he thinking? Monsanto is the perfect model of evil.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Dammit!!! Monsanto f###ers!!

There's actually a Monsanto stooge in Obama's cabinet - as agriculture secretary.

What the hell was he thinking? Monsanto is the perfect model of evil.

That's was one of the worst appointments IMO, totally contradicts his campaign stance about reducing the influence of special interest groups.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Dammit!!! Monsanto f###ers!!

There's actually a Monsanto stooge in Obama's cabinet - as agriculture secretary.

What the hell was he thinking? Monsanto is the perfect model of evil.

That's was one of the worst appointments IMO, totally contradicts his campaign stance about reducing the influence of special interest groups.

I'd like to find out what Obama has said about this appointment and why he chose former Gov. Vilsack.

[mawilson 2,133]

I don't get it. Dairies cannot state a fact?

How's is that ruling even legal?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

We'll all end up with vCJD. Like Jack Bauer

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I don't get it. Dairies cannot state a fact?

How's is that ruling even legal?

From what I've read on earlier lawsuits filed by Monsanto, they contend that all dairy cows contain bovine growth hormone. Their product is a synthetic version that they are giving to the cows to increase milk production.

Hopefully the dairy farms will come up with a different way of stating that their milk comes from cows not treated with the bovine growth hormone. I agree, there has to be a legal way to state something factual on the label.

Monsanto has fought every effort to disclose which milk has come from their cows, saying that disclosure implies that there is something harmful about their product to consumers and thus hurting their business. It's f###ed up.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Milk sucks.

[Amby 490]

soooo...test the milk for the synthetic version, then they can put it on the ingredient label?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

soooo...test the milk for the synthetic version, then they can put it on the ingredient label?

They can circumvent the courts ruling by labeling the milk organic, but dairy farmers who choose not to give their milk cows the bovine growth hormone should be able to indicate that on their label legally. I think Monsanto got away on a technicality - that the label was stating the milk was free of the hormone when all milk has some of the hormone in it naturally.

[Amby 490]

soooo...test the milk for the synthetic version, then they can put it on the ingredient label?

They can circumvent the courts ruling by labeling the milk organic, but dairy farmers who choose not to give their milk cows the bovine growth hormone should be able to indicate that on their label legally. I think Monsanto got away on a technicality - that the label was stating the milk was free of the hormone when all milk has some of the hormone in it naturally.

that's what I was thinking too. too bad. I'm not a milk drinker so it doesn't matter much to me, but I'm sure it does to people who drink it.